Visit our myspace

The 4-H Center now has a myspace page! Feel free to visit, add us as a friend.

http://www.myspace.com/swva4h

Capital Campaign Udate: $264,000 Raised So Far!

It's hard to believe that two years have come and gone since we kicked off our Capital Campaign. We have made some great improvements to the current facilities with the funds we have raised so far. Here is a list of the projects that have been completed and paid for in 2006:

• Russell Hall received a new roof, paint, and reinforcements to the base
• The Dutch Palace received a face lift with new boards & batting added to the outside and a new paint job for the outside of the building & roof
• Ratliff Hal has been upgraded with heat pumps, new ceiling tiles, windows, and improved lighting
• Plans for the new boys lodging facilities have been drawn up

Projects & plans in the works for 2007 include:

• Completion of the Dutch Palace face lift. The Abingdon Rotary Club is funding and assisting with interior renovations
• New mattresses for the Conference Center
• Prepare bid packets for new boys' lodges

We've renovated and repaired, now is the time to expand! Help us make these new lodging facilities for the boys a reality!

Also note, that we have added the names (and, in some cases, links to their websites) of many major donors who have helped support our Campaign so far. Many thanks to all of them!

Re-naming our blog

You may have noticed that the SWVA 4-H Center Blog has a new name. Our semi-regular printed newsletter is called "Dutch Palace Happenings," so we decided that since this site serves as an online version of that newsletter it should share the same name. So welcome to the Dutch Palace Happenings - Online Edition!

You'll also notice several new features. On the right hand side of the page, there is a link to subscribe to this blog via RSS. There is another place to enter your email and subscribe that way - be notified via email every time a post is made here.

We also want our readers to participate here as well, so feel free to make comments when you read.

Summer Staff interviews

Interviews for Summer Camp Staff will begin soon. If you are interested and haven't filled out an application yet, make sure you do so ASAP!

Download Application

Season's Greetings

Christmas & the Holiday Season are in full swing here in Southwest Virginia, and the 4-H Center is no exception. With the weather changing and holidays approaching, we have begun decorating.

The decorating started in the Conference Center office, where Sam eagerly set up and decorated this tree all by herself, singing carols to everyone within ear-shot all morning long.

Our biggest tree can be found in Ratliff Hall, which is toasty warm with a brand new heating system and new windows. Ask Ken or Diane about the bow on top of this tree...

The mantelpiece above the fireplace is decorated too, with a wreath and other small decorations.

The ladies in the kitchen decked the halls in Burley, sprucing the place up nicely.

Our hopes for the happiest of holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Year to everyone!

Cloverbud camp a success

Early this month, we had our first Cloverbud camp in two years. 15 Cloverbuds (mostly from Washington County) attended, many of them spending their first night away from home.

A grand time was had by all, as the Cloverbuds (or Bovercluds, as FreakShow likes to call them) made holiday decorations and even created life-sized self portraits.


On Saturday, we were visited by Dr. Andy Overbay who brought his full-sized dairy cow models and taught us all about where milk comes from.

Also on Saturday, campers got to design their own constellations and add them to our home-made planetarium.

Overall, Cloverbud Camp was a success....but it would not have been without the help of our terrific volunteers. Jordan Caudill and Emi Scott, both teens from Smyth County, were joined by several former summer camp staff members who volunteered for Cloverbudy duty.




So many thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers and our terrific Cloverbud campers...I hope we see you all again this summer!

Blair Keller Raffle Winner

Blair Keller was the winner of our 150th Bristol Anniversary Rifle. He was absolutely thrilled. Blair is a 4-H All-Star and long time supporter of the 4-H Center, he resides in Washington County. He served as president of our Board of Directors many years ago and still serves as an Honorary member today. Congratulations Blair!
We sold a total of 597 tickets - Barbara Wilson was our top seller, selling eight books. (160 tickets) Way to go Barbara! I would like to thank all those who sold tickets and assisted in the promotion of this fund raiser. Thanks to all your hard work, we have been able to add another $2,000 to the Capital Campaign Fund.